Liverpool v Wigan Post Match

[Leyton388]

What is it with LFC we must be cursed for almost 20 years now it has been one **** up after another. The manager will start off well then it will go tits up big style!

[Matt]

What the **** has Maxi done to start over Babel? And frankly I'm sick of Kuyt being undroppable now, I could trot out one of several clichés about him but where's the real motivation for him to improve if he gets in the team regardless.

Tactics backfired big time, the manager won't make quick decisions and neither he nor Pellegrino is capable of delivering the teacup-throwing tantrum at half-time that might change a game.

The one positive is that I only saw the first half.

[el nino9]

Well i'm more inclined to blame the players just now, there are mitigating circumstances to why they have suffered a loss of form...or why a couple aren't match sharp...but, there can be no excuse for not putting in the effort, that's the very least i expect, if your touch is off, or your out of sorts....then work to make up for it....but they're only doing that intermittantly...when it should be every minute of every game, especially now at the business end of the season.

And i'm not having this...'the manager should motivate them'...ffs they aren't blind, they know where we're at, and what's at stake...they aren't kids, really upset at the lack of effort, we are so hot and cold from game to game it's unreal.

i agree with you mate but the coaching at training must be shocking.

if when kuyt,insua,benayoun etc are playing 10yrds away wouldn't you say to sammy lee "sammy do you think their first touch is good enough to play premiership football?"

i say not in your life, would wenger,jose,rednosedcunt etc let them continue like that?

[Leyton388]

he wants to be succesful with us so much.

Thats what Breaks my heart so much. I love Rafa to bits but at the end of the day i love LFC more.

[Matt]

I'm genuinely worried for Rafa's health.

Is there a more stressful job in football than Liverpool manager? I honestly dont think there is.

Rafa is looking at the verge of mental and physical collapse to me. Red faced, big bags under his eyes, sweaty brow, wrinkled forehead.

I think it comes from the love they develop for the club, they want success so bad for the fans, but they can never quite achieve it.

Comparisons with Houllier have never been more accurate in terms of how detrimental this club has been for their health. I have visions of Rafa managing in Italy or back in Spain next year looking happy, healthy and slimmed down.

For his health's sake, and for our sanity, he needs to go.

I hope to god he doesn't get ill but if he stepped down it might be good for all parties concerned. This Valencia model just isn't going to be replicated.

[kemm1]

Exactly buddy.

Near as dammit, we're the same team as last year. Alonso and Arbeloa have gone, we've signed Johnson and Lucas has played well this season. Insua has another season under his belt, Babel has done more in the last four games than all of last season, we've signed Maxi, Ngog has scored goals... so how the hell are we doing so badly?!
I brushed off pre-season and our **** results, but looking back now - something is seriously wrong. I love Rafa and I love most of our players, but they all need to have a word with themselves. It's not the sole fault of the owners, Rafa, Lucas, Kuyt or Gerrard. We've got issues throughout the club and everyone has to take collective responsibility for it.

Half of me says to get rid of Rafa - but this is his first awful season. Part of me also says that I wouldn't blame Torres etc for leaving - however, he's played his part (or not) this season and owes it to us to stick it out another year.

Lets see where we are at the end of the season and take stock then. Either way something has to happen because we can't continue like this. Something needs to change.

I think we have too many players especially those in wide areas who are slow and have no dribbling ability, Rafa has built a team to focus on ball retention but we can dribble past or out-run anyone on the flanks (wide midfielders and left back).

Then throw in the massive hole that Xabi has left in the centre of midfield.

[vonk]

You know I still think he's a good manager. But there is a time when even good relationships go stale and there is noone to blame. I think the step up was last season and if we'd won it we would have been top for years. But the chance came and went and the relationship has gone stale. We all would love him to get it back, but it's staring us in the face. There is no evidence to suggest Rafa can turn it around. The biggest fear is Torres and Reina leaving of course, but we can't hang onto a manager for that reason. We need to get someone in, preferably in the near term so they can work on keeping the better players. Fourth is gone now, we need three other clubs to mess up and I've no confidence that we can win our last 9 games.

I don't know who we can get but lets get Mourinho or Capello lined up and start again, with or without Torres, Gerrard, Reina etc.

[Pablo]

What the **** has Maxi done to start over Babel? And frankly I'm sick of Kuyt being undroppable now, I could trot out one of several clichés about him but where's the real motivation for him to improve if he gets in the team regardless.

Tactics backfired big time, the manager won't make quick decisions and neither he nor Pellegrino is capable of delivering the teacup-throwing tantrum at half-time that might change a game.

The one positive is that I only saw the first half.

Rafa is hugely hypocritical when it comes to Kuyt. The lad has been over-played to the point of exhaustion. He needs a rest every now and then just like every other player. He's only human (barely) and as much as he will never ask for it, he needs to be dropped/rested far more than he has been over the past few seasons.

[Shaggy]

We've still got the Mancs away and Chelsea at home, that's a possibility of eleven defeats plus the other games, any of which we could lose. It's unbelievable.

[Taxi]

I'm genuinely worried for Rafa's health.

Is there a more stressful job in football than Liverpool manager? I honestly dont think there is.

Rafa is looking at the verge of mental and physical collapse to me. Red faced, big bags under his eyes, sweaty brow, wrinkled forehead.

I think it comes from the love they develop for the club, they want success so bad for the fans, but they can never quite achieve it.

Comparisons with Houllier have never been more accurate in terms of how detrimental this club has been for their health. I have visions of Rafa managing in Italy or back in Spain next year looking happy, healthy and slimmed down.

For his health's sake, and for our sanity, he needs to go.

I have major concerns over his current mental health and it all started with the "everythings perfect" interview. That was just not right and there have been a few interviews of late where he's been a little odd. Now he's talking of winning things if we have "character", whats all that about??? Its not character, its about doing the basics right and being more creative going forward. Selling a few of our strikers without replacing one hasn't helped either.

[kemm1]

What the **** has Maxi done to start over Babel? And frankly I'm sick of Kuyt being undroppable now, I could trot out one of several clichés about him but where's the real motivation for him to improve if he gets in the team regardless.

.

[Leyton388]

I hope to god he doesn't get ill but if he stepped down it might be good for all parties concerned. This Valencia model just isn't going to be replicated.

Mainly because it was hector cuper's team rafa took over who were already **** hot having been in two CL finals.

[Tatterdemalion]

What changes were made to the coaching staff for this season?
Sammy joined IIRC and some-one left. Can't remember.

****ing hasn't worked. Even Bolton played better than this.

[Matt]

Tell you what, if Johnson is back next week, Carragher needs to move to the left. If he isn't, Agger needs to play there.

I feel sorry for Insua but he's an embarassment. Times in the first half when Benayoun dropped to left back, Lucas got pulled out of midfield and Zorba moved across from the centre because Insua couldn't handle N'Zogbia.

[sniffer]

Diabolic performance